Best way to bring shine back to fiberglass body.

[The_Waites]

The finish on my RV is dull. Is there anyway to bring shine back?

[Dtank]

Dusty R wrote:


I ran out of "elbow grease".

White Lithium is a good substitute - and it matches lots of fiberglass!

.

[JimK-NY]

Slownsy wrote:
I have read about peaple using floor polish, but also about it flaking off.......

If the ZEP surface flakes, cracks or deteriorates, it is a sign of poor surface prep. Before using ZEP, I stripped previous coats of wax with a mop and an ammonia solution. I went over the RV twice. I also used a Scotch pad and some bar keepers friend to lightly scrub the entire surface. I might have been excessive but my original ZEP coating has lasted for years and still looks absolutely new.

[JimK-NY]

I recently posted my experience with using ZEP:
https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/30046242.cfm

Just a quick summary:

ZEP will provide a very durable acrylic wax coating that will repel dirt and black streaks, will maintain a shine, will protect the surface from oxidation and will last for a great many years with minimal maintenance.

Surface prep is essential before applying ZEP the first time. You need to use a wax stripper and some light scrubbing to totally remove previous wax finishes and any oxidation. After the prep, applying ZEP could not be easier. Just wipe the surface with a rag dampened with ZEP, allow to dry and re-coat.

After several years, I do not see any signs of oxidation, fading or yellowing. If you are concerned about UV protection, be advised that the typical waxes contain very little and do not provide any significant lasting protection. A ZEP or other wax surface seems to prevent oxidation. Aerospace 303 can be used to provide significant UV protection but it is expensive and would need to be reapplied every couple of months.

[JoeH]

I have used Poly Glo on my fiberglass boats with very good results.

[Slownsy]

I have read about peaple using floor polish, but also about it flaking off so probably not a great idea, I would not think that as it is a indoor product that it has much in the way of UV protection. I personally also use Polly Products as made for fibre glass boats.
Frank

[BarneyS]

Moved to Tech Issues forum from DIY.

[jjrbus]

I used ZEP and the results are really impressive, been on about 2 years now and starting to get a bit of flaking in a small area on the over cab.

Prep was a lot of work so I just did a bit at a time, took me a couple months to do the whole thing. I used powdered Barkeepers Friend and those kitchen sponges with the green scrubbies attached, scraper and razor blade also.

Try the Barkeepers Friend on a small area, it is only $2 can, if you don't like it you have a can of cleanser to use for other things.

[Dusty_R]

I ran out of "elbow grease".

[fyrflie]

I have used Poly Glow with good results.

[Lwiddis]

Don't forget the elbow grease.

[gbopp]

Try the Zep process on a small section of your RV. You'll be amazed at the results.

[The_Waites]

Terryallan, thanks for responding, I'll show your method to my husband and let him decide.

[The_Waites]

Thank you both for responding!!! I have printed the instructions provided in the link.

[Terryallan]

Honestly. To bring Gel coat back the way it should be done. You will need to water sand it with no less than 400 grit water paper. Then buff it with a super low grit buffing compound, and then wax it. Yes it is labor intensive. But it is the only way to get the original shine back.

I once did that to a 21 FT boat, hull, and deck. Took a few weeks, 8 hours a day. But when I got finished. It looked like new. And I had new boats sitting beside of it to compare with.